Fottinger drive



Dec. 14, 1937. w. LENZ 2,102,425

' FTTINGER DRIVE Filed March 25, 1936 I l l Inventor:

HIS Atto'rh eg.v

' a Fttinger gear embodying my invention.

Patented D ec. 14, 1937 UNITED v'STATES PATENTv OFFICE 2,102,425 FTTINGER DRrvE Application March 23, 1936, serial No. '10,503

In Germany April 25, 1935 2 claims. (ci. '60*54) The present invention relates to Fttinger drives, that is, to hydraulic gears in which torque is transmitted to or converted between two rotatable elements known as pump and turbine wheels by means of a liquid such as water or oil,

the liquid being conned in a liquid circuit including the pump and the turbine wheels. As the operation of such drives depends upon the provision of liquid, it is important properly to seal the liquid, that is, to reduce leakage thereof along clearances defined between rotary and stationary elements, more broadly between elements moving relative to each other. It is also important securely to fasten the pump wheels to the drive shaft without causing the setting up eX- cessive stresses in the drive shaft or weakening the latter as may be caused by the provision of key Ways.

One object of my invention is to provide animproved construction and arrangement of Fttinger gears whereby leakage of operating liquid is substantially reduced.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement of Fttinger gears whereby the pump wheels are securely fastened to the drive shaft and weakening of the drive shaft due to this fastening is entirely eliminated.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto in connection with the accompanying drawing.

The single feature of the drawing represents In the present instance I have shown a double gear, more specifically a double torque converter, each converter having a pump wheel secured to a common drive shaft.

"I'he hydraulic gear comprises two torque converters I0 and II having a common stationary casing I2, a drive shaft I3 and a driven shaft I3a. The converter I I is used primarily at low and medium speed, whereas the converter I8 is used at .normal and at high speed. Only one converter the turbine wheel to the inlet of the pump wheel.

The pump wheel or driving element consists of two portions, a blade-carrying portion I8 and an inlet portion I9 for conducting the operating liquid to the blade-carrying portion I8. The second converter or gear II is similar but distinguishes in that the torque converted by the first gear I0 and imported to the turbine wheel I5 thereof has to be transmitted .through the second gear II to a driven shaft. The second gear II comprises a pump Wheel 20 having va -bladecarrying portion 2I and an inlet portion 22 for directing operating liquid to theblade-carrying portion 2|. The pump wheel 20 discharges into a turbine wheel which comprises a first element 23 and a second element 24V united by means of bolts 25 and separated as regards the liquid circuit by a liquid guide member 26. Liquid discharged by the pump wheel 2B ows through the turbine wheel element 23 to which a part of is energy is imparted. The liquid then discharged from the element 23 iiows through the guide member 26 into the second turbine wheel element 24, to which latter another .part of the available energy is imparted. The liquid discharged from the element 24 iiows into the pump wheel inlet member 22 from which it is directed into the pump wheel, blade-carrying element 2|. 'I'he turbine wheel 23, .24, more specifically the element 24, is connected by means of bolts 24a, to a driven element 241; which forms a part of the driven shaft I 3a. Y

The two converters are arranged adjacent Yeach other with their pump wheels back to back.

The blade-carrying pump wheel elements or portions I 8 and 2| in accordance with my invention are secured to a collar 21 of the shaft I3 by a plurality of axial bolts and nuts 28. This arrangement has the great advantage that it completely eliminates the necessity for key ways in the shaft which often cause undesirable weakening of the latter or, from another viewpoint, ne-

. cessita'te the provision of a heavier shaft The inlet members I9 and 22 for the pump -wheels. surround portions of the shaft I3 and form annular spaces 29 and 30 respectively for accommodating the bolt heads and the nuts secured to the bolts. The chambers 29 and 30 are always empty, that is, free from operating liquid and thus forming a protection for the bolts, particularly the nuts, against the corrosive action of water when used as operating liquid.

The shaft collar 21 has an outer surface which is machined and forms an annular projection 3|,

facilitating and assuring proper positioning of the pump wheelsv of the two converters. 'Ihe pump wheel portion I8 of the converter I8 abuts lthe left-hand side of the annular projection 3I and between the right-hand side of the annular projection 3| and the adjacent end portion of the pump wheel portion 2l of the converter II I dispose an anti-friction bearing 32 for the turbine wheels. Leakage of iiuid from one converter into the other converter is prevented or reduced by the provision of a plurality of packings between the elements rotating relative to each other. The turbine wheels I5, 23 are sealed against the stationary outer casing I2 by pack- `ings 33, 34 and 35, andthe turbine wheels I5, 23

are sealed against the pump wheel portions I4,

2U by packings 36, 31, 38 and 39. These packingsA are also important to reduce leakage of operating fluid to the bearings 32. As an additional means for reducing such leakage, packing chambers 4I) and 4I are formed by the pump wheels,

which chambers communicate through channels 42 and 43 respectively with an annular chamhas an inlet portion or member I9- and 22 respectively surrounding the drive shaft. The pump inlet member I9 in accordance with my invention is provided with inner packing teeth 45 and outer packing teeth 46 cooperating with packing surfaces 41 and 48 respectively of the stationary casing. The latter defines between the two sets of packing teeth a chamber 49. The portion of the inlet member I9 intermediate the two sets of packing teeth forms a radial projection or deflector 50. The inner set of packing teeth 45 has a larger. diameter than the outer set of packing teeth 46. The chamber 49 communicates with the atmosphere through a channel I With this arrangement operating liquid leaking along the4 inner set of packing teeth 45 is prevented by the deflector 50 from flowing directly towards the outer set of packing teeth 4B. Leakage fluid is discharged from the chamber '49 through the channel 5I. 'I'he packing arrangement for the second converter II is similar to that just described but whereas with regard to the rst converter I0 the packing arrangement is formed between the pump inlet element I9 and a stationary member, that for the second converter is formed between the pump inlet portion 22 and the turbine wheel element 24. The packing arrangement also comprises two sets of packing teeth 52 and 53 cooperating with corresponding packing surfaces formed on a cylindrical portion of the turbine wheel element 24. The pump inlet portion 22 intermediate the two sets of packing teeth .forms a radial projection or defiector 54 which projects into a chamber 55 formed by the turbine wheel element 24.' The deflector 54 prevents liquid leaking along the packing teeth 52 from flowing directly towards the packing teeth 53.

Liquid flowing into the chamber 55 is discharged through a channel 56.

Having described themethod of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider. to represent the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means. In particular I wish fto have it understood that the invention is not limited to a particular type of Fttinger gears but applies to both hydraulic couplings as well as converters, single gears pas,

well as multiple gears.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A multiple hydraulic gear of the Fttinger type with a plurality of separate liquid circuits comprising the combination of a single drive shaft having a collar, at least two gears, each gear having a pump wheel,` the two pump wheels arranged back to back, and means flanging the back to back arranged pump wheels to the collar.

2. A multiple hydraulic gear of the Fttinger type with a plurality of liquid circuits comprising the combination of a single drive shaft having a collar, two hydraulic gears, each having a pump Wheel,- each pump wheel having a blade-carrying portion and a separate inlet portion, and 'the v blade-carrying portions being arranged back to back and secured tothe collar,

WALTER LENZ. 

